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How many times have I heard this before?
As the NBA regular season grinds down the home-court stretch, it's easy to find ourselves walking a ledge that separates reality and sacrilege as both pertain to the San Antonio Spurs.
For example, just when they seem capable of dropping to the third seed (or lower) in the Western Conference standings, the Spurs rip off wins on successive nights. This surge of seed-sowing life arrived immediately after a home loss to the relentlessly challenging Houston Rockets, and compromises the opinions of those who were preparing to write off the allegedly descending powerhouse.
And it leads to another fit of sacrilege, one that inspires many of us to embrace the notion of Tony Parker becoming the team's go-to employee. Before proceeding under the seemingly shaky banner of this premise, please note that the Spurs' much-debated window of championship opportunity will remain propped open as long as Hall-of-Fame-bound post man Tim Duncan is supplying about 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
But with that caveat firmly in place, we also should realize Parker — who will turn 27 in May — has massaged his preternatural speed into a variable few (if any) teams can deal with.
While we've detected no public chest-pounding in regard to assuming the defining offensive role in the Spurs' attack, Parker has made considerable on-court noise. In Wednesday's Duncan-free (resting the knees) triumph at Atlanta, Parker bagged an eye-popping 42 points — on 18-of-25 shooting from the field — and handed out 10 assists.
The night before, he dropped 30 and 10 in a victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Similar Parker salvos have been occurring more often during a season in which he is providing the Spurs with career highs in points (21.9) and assists (6.9) per game, while knocking in a career-best 79.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.
The spin through Atlanta became Parker's 11th game of 30 or more points; those games have been defined by exquisite marksmanship (an almost-stupid 60 percent from the field) and no loss of altruism (8 dimes per). They include a combined 76 points on a back-to-back last month.
OK, so even though Eva Longoria's hubby long has demonstrated he's much more than a marital novelty act (the seventh-year pro from France was Most Valuable Player of the 2007 NBA Finals, not Duncan), he still seems overlooked when popular chatter zeros in on the league's premier point guards.
With that topic on the table, the names usually streaming from the mouths of experts are the properly saluted Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash and a small bundle of fine playmakers. Out of habit, the sharpies may even float the name Jason Kidd, whose alleged mutual flirtation with the Spurs several years ago predated Parker's upgrade in decision-making and shooting accuracy.
The franchise's move to stay the course with Parker has been rewarded with more Larry O'Brien hardware. But even winning at the highest level hasn't afforded Parker the hosannas associated with perceived supers om.
"Playing in the shadow of Duncan — one of the sport's all-time greats, no doubt — has made Parker a bit less appreciated than he might be somewhere else," said a league scout who works for a Western Conference franchise. "To be fair, playing with Duncan creates opportunities for Parker and everyone else and has led to championships."
Yeah, the trade-off is pretty reasonable.
"But the main reason the so-called purists may not anoint Parker among the great point guards is the way he plays," the scout continued. "'That's not to say he's selfish; but his strength is blowing past guys and finishing.
"When we rate point guards, we like to go with the pass-first types. And that's fine. Most teams need someone to make the game easier for teammates. Parker has improved on that, but he's always done it in different ways. Having what we define as a pass-first point guard doesn't really matter if you can defend the position and are efficient, as a team, on offense. It never bothered Phil Jackson's teams."
Amen, but it never hurts to suit up non-point guards named Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Anyway, with that blazing speed to the rim and a floater he unloads with uncanny accuracy, Parker generates more spot-up freedom for perimeter teammates while pulling attention away from Duncan in screen-roll situations.
"Exactly," the scout said. "He's gotten better at knowing where his teammates will be and when, but his bread and butter is that crazy speed and quickness. Along with that, he's improved his shooting."
Most of the improvement occurred after Parker learned to recognize what a good shot (for him) is. Great assistance in this education was provided by Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland, who convinced the team's floor leader that the two-point shots you hit are more valuable than the threes you miss.
"His ability to take the ball anywhere on the court he wants at any time makes him one of the biggest threats we face," the scout said. "And the less Duncan is able to take over a game and just dominate as he ages, the more important Parker becomes."
With two-guard Manu Ginobili returning and professing more pop in his wheels than he's felt in a while, an emerging cast of younger snipers than in recent years and the big constant in the middle, the experienced Spurs still seem like a playoff team to avoid.
"Duncan gives San Antonio that presence on the block, potential foul situations and Ginobili is streaky and dangerous," said an assistant coach who also works in the Western Conference. "But Parker has turned into the guy who really scares you. You can send a double at Duncan and rotate out. It doesn't always work, but it can be effective.
"But you can't prepare for speed like Parker has."
And as the go-to-Point-B-from-Point-A guy in San Antonio, Tony Parker is reminding us that Hollywood doesn't hold the patent on fast lanes.
How many times have I heard this before?
That it's no longer Tim's team?
Well, for the first time in 12 years, it's finally true.
The Spurs will be Duncan's team until he hangs up his kicks, just as they were David's team until he did. I still remember Pop curtailing practice any time David would put on his watch. The Spurs don't push their franchise under the bus when he's no longer the first option. I also think Tim looked better than he had in a couple of years before the tendonosis set in. I hope the Spurs are pro-active in treating it this summer, instead of hoping that rest cures it in 4 months. Supposedly, you can inject an irritant that will stimulate new normal tendon growth over the raggedy . That puts you out of action for a while, but if done over the summer, he should be right as rain next year.
So, they say that based on regular season games ?
Come playoff times, those FOX idiots will realize this is Duncan's team
Tony is our main offensive weapon.
It's still Tim's team though.
both seem happy with those facts.
Agreed.
And Duncan will do what Robinson did and mentor Parker into being the team's leader. IMO it started slowly in '07 and will continue to evolve until Duncan retires.
But it is still Duncan's team. He's Captain, and it's not just a le.
Let me ask you this: Who would you rather have for the playoffs? Duncan or Parker?
dUH !
TD of course
'nuff said.dUH !
TD of course
Lets not ruin what a good season TP has had by doing this. I made the mistake earlier. You do not have to knock someone down in order to elevate someone else. Tony has had a spectacular year and TD has been fantastic; his current injuries are recent, so that is what is on people's minds.
Spurs need them both, they need Ginobili. Together, they run this team.
FOX is Wrong!
I know most Spurs fans wont admit to it but this team is Parkers team as of right now. Duncan is the leader/captain of the team but Tony is the Superstar of this team now.
Duncan is still a great ball player but Tony is playing MVP type basketball right now and Tim knows it and im sure in his his mind he knows this is Tonys team for right now. For sure when the Playoffs come around Tim will step his game up and maybe carry the team on his back for the playoff run but as of RIGHT NOW this team gos as Tony gos.
Timmy will always be THE man in SA, but the article is spot on in highlighting Tony as the Spurs' go-to guy. The same way The Admiral mentored Timmy, Duncan has taken Parker under his wing.
it seems really hard for you to accept Tony's predominance in Spurs offensive game as you always come with this kind of comments about him.
not straight hate, but surely some irritation about tony.
i don't know how many times you heard it before, i think not so much, but anyway, it hasn't ever seemed so true that's it could be tony's team. so, the argument could be valid.
and just in case you didn't notice, Tony was our 2007 finals MVP and was arguably our best PO player last year. the RS argument doesn't work.
Anyway, i still think it's Tim's team for different reasons as i wrote in my previous post, but i noticed your quickness to be the party poppers in Tony's praising threads.
TP is the best payer of the Spurs right now and hopefully he'll lead us to 5... but this is Tim Duncan's team...
especially when you compare his season to fragile x ginobiliTony has had a spectacular year
Both.
But the fact is, Tony is the best player on this team now. I don't understand why that's so difficult for some to realize/admit. It's not going to sting or cause you pain, nor to Tim.
what i said. totally true.
There's a poll with the article on which of the Big Three is the Spurs best player, Duncan has a slight edge on Parker at the moment.
Spurs may be aging, but Parker's in his prime
Duncan, because he affects both sidesof the ball.
If Tony's jumper isn't falling and the lane is closed then he's gonna have a real tough night.
Come playoff time, if we're down one I want the ball in Ginobili's hands since he's got th ebest combination of an an inside/outside game.
Let me answer my question: Last season when Manu lead this team in scoring in the regular season and I was one of the first saying that it was ridiculous to say any other thing that: "the Spurs are Tim's team"
Now if you ask me who is the MVP of the Spurs this season: there's no denying that is Tony (like I said in many other threads this year, so I don't know where you get this Parker irritation)
I agree with DAF86.
i agree with thatManu lead this team in scoring in the regular season
Manu in the playoffs >>> Tony in the playoffs
Gimme a break
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